We walked similar college paths at Oklahoma State University, but we didn’t officially meet until Emily Baden Hinrichs, Zach’s eldest sister, decided we should meet in 2020. Julia and Emily were both members of the Chi Omega sorority at OSU and were brought back together for a small, outdoor wedding ceremony that they were both a part of during the pandemic. Julia and Emily carpooled in the “singles” car to the wedding in Dallas. The conversations on that road trip led Emily to bluntly say, “You should date my brother.” We are forever grateful for that suggestion.

Julia sent a Facebook friend request that Zach did not notice for months, social media isn’t his best thing, but Zach did reach out with a text that became a Facetime and then ultimately a trip to Tulsa, where Julia was living at the time, on June 27th, 2020. Julia followed up the next weekend with a trip to Zach’s home in Kansas City. We were smitten early on, and knew continuing to date long distance was worth it when Julia left for graduate school in Washington, DC just a few months after we started dating. Zach even made the road trip with Julia and helped her move in and get settled. After almost two years of long-distance dating that included lots of airline miles, Facetimes, and the support of our families and friends, we went from over a thousand miles a part to just across the street from one another. Zach and his black lab (now our black lab), Oxford, became Julia’s neighbors in February of 2022.

Zach proposed on September 3rd, 2022 on a rooftop overlooking the DC skyline to which Julia eagerly responded "Yes - 100%." It was the best day of our lives to-date, but we think August 6, 2023 will top even that because we get to it celebrating with each of you!

God’s plan and God’s timing, with an assist from Emily, led to what we know is a #MatchBadenHeaven.